Tignon Laws

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Transcript of Tignon Laws

Tignon LawsBy Cat Cooley and Vanessa EguakunA law passed in 1786 that forced all women of African descent to wear their hair in knotted wraps whether they were biracial, high class, commoners, or slaves. The tignon laws were instated because women of African descent were wearing their hair in such elaborate ways that it attracted the attention of white men. Another cause was white and Spanish-Creole men were starting to keep women of African descent as placées .The final reason of why they were instated is because white women were jealous that women of African descent were consider prettier and exotic. Why were they instated ?Esteban MiróHe was a Spanish army officer and governor of LouisianaHe believed that the tignon laws would help distinguish African American women from white womenHe wanted these laws to minimize the beauty of African American women

Instead of wearing a plain white cloth as expected, the women wore bright red, blue, green, and yellow cloths decorated with jewelry and ribbons.They also tied the cloths in elaborate and exciting manners. Instead of dulling their beauty the cloths enhanced it.How were these laws counter acted ?What are the tignon laws?Who instated these laws ?Works Cited

"New Orleans and the Headwrap- The Tignon." newlynatural.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://newlynatural.com/blog/2010/01/new-orleans-and-the-headwrap-the-tignon/>.Impact of the Tignon LawsThe tignon laws empowered African American women and gave them a sense of pride for their hairstylesMany women today wear tignons as a tribute to their heritage and the fashion statement it makes